Sugar accreditations and certifications: how Ragus controls ingredients and supply

Sugar, a major global agricultural commodity, is subject to rigorous quality control scrutiny to ensure the international supply is safe for consumption. Sugar accreditations and certifications take this one step further, allowing sugar ingredients to be certified against the quality and ethical standards of a range of industry bodies.

Many of these standards are a requirement for manufacturers and retailers, while some sugar ingredients accreditations are important for us to demonstrate that every sugar product has been ethically sourced and is of the highest quality. Sugar ingredient accreditations are also a marker of product quality in the eyes of the consumer and may dictate whether they buy one product over another.  

Ragus complies with all mandatory industry standards and certifications, and we hold many voluntary accreditations to ensure the quality and provenance of our pure sugar syrups and crystallines functional ingredients. These are listed below.

The ISO is the world’s most recognised standard-setting body. Its ISO 9000 family of quality management systems standards ensure organisations meet the statutory and regulatory requirements that customers and stakeholders demand. Ragus adheres to ISO 14001:2015 and IOS 9001:2015.

The BRCG is a leading brand and consumer protection organisation used by suppliers across 130 countries. It is primarily designed to deliver confidence across supply chains. Ragus holds BRGC certification in food, packaging, consumer products and storage and distribution, providing assurance that all aspects of Ragus’ operations are of the highest safety and quality.

All our sugar products for the brewing industry adhere to the standards set out by the EBC. The EBC uses a special scale based on sugar and malts to grade the colour of a product. To determine this, a sample is taken and placed in a spectrophotometer, allowing the percentage of sugar to be analysed. From here, when the percentage of sugar is higher, the malt or sugar is darker.

The Fairtrade Foundation is a global movement designed to ensure farmers and producers are paid fairly for their work. The core Fairtrade mark is a registered certification label that shows products adhere to the Fairtrade Standards. At Ragus, we are proud to offer several products that bear this mark. We have outlined the importance of fairtrade sugar products for food and beverage manufacturers.

The OFF promotes organic growing and production best practice methods. Companies that produce certified organic products and are registered with the OFF can use the OFF symbol on relevant products. The use of this symbol on several of our products means those products are fully compliant with organic regulations. For Ragus, this means the raw sugar we have sourced must be grown without the intervention of pesticides or any genetic modifications. Find out more about organic sugar and organic sugar regulations.

The ICUMSA is a global body that brings together the activities of 20 member states from the National Committees for Sugar Analysis. Each of our sugar products is graded and tested against the ICUMSA scale, which measures colour and moisture. This method of grading by colour provides an easy way for producers to categorise sugars in line with globally recognised guidelines.

Ragus is a member of Bonsucro, an internationally recognised not for-profit organisation whose mission is to reduce the environmental and social impacts of sugarcane production. This is achieved through its leading metric-based certification system and continuous support for all actors in the sugar supply chain. We have outlined the value of Bonsucro certification and traceability for food and beverage businesses.

The Sugarmark symbol is recognised globally. It is used by sugar growers and producers to show that fair practices have been followed and consumer health and safety has been prioritised. Ragus is a member of Sugarmark. We adhere to the internal quality criteria Codex Alimentarius, which was set up by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

The Bee Farmers Association describes itself as the ‘voice of professional beekeeping’ in the UK. Its logo confirms membership of the industry trade association, and that the member abides to the association’s code of conduct. Ragus manufactures a specialist bee feed used in apiaries for commercial honey production. This special formulation ensures the bees do not get dysentery, a common condition when fed non-pure, sucrose-based liquid sugar feeds.

Halal Certification Europe is a certification agency with international reach that accredits companies with the Halal Certification. Using the logo demonstrates that a product conforms to Halal requirements in accordance with Islamic Law.

The Kosher Certificate confirms that a product meets Jewish dietary laws. The London Beth Din Kashrut Division (KLBD) accredits organisations with the Kosher Certification. Products with the KLBD logo are certified for year-round use under the Kosher Status of ‘Pareve-non Passover’.

Sedex is an organisation that works to improve and maintain sustainable business practices in supply chains around the world. Sedex uses SMETA, the most widely adopted social auditing methodology in the world. This enables businesses to assess their sites and working conditions and provide evidence of ethical and responsible business practices to their supply chain partners.

Ragus’ accreditations and certifications reflect our wider commitments to social responsibility and sustainability. To learn more about our pure sugar ingredients, please contact our Customer Services Team, or continue browsing SUGARTALK and follow Ragus on LinkedIn.